The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-16
TROUBLE AT SALT SPRINGS.
The People of Austell and the Salt Vii
lage at Daggers Points.


lage at Daggers Points.
AuSteU Correspondence atlanta Journal
Considerable excitement was occasioned
in our village to-day over the action of the
authorities of the village of Salt Springs.
There are few persons in Georgia who have
not heard of Salt Springs They are sit
uated in the extreme northeast corner OF
Douglas county, within a quarter of mile
of the line of Cobb. Two new springs have
recently been opened by parties on the Cobb
county side, and these were the cause OF the
trouble to-day.
The last Legislature extended the corpo-
rate line of the town of Salt Springs some
thing over two miles from the railroad
depot up to the corporate line of Austell
The citizens of Austell We're put upon no
tice last year that the company owning the
BOwden Lithia salt Spring would close al
any time their entrance from this side &c
their grounds This was the first positive
proof Austell had that some one on the other
side wished us cut off. Mr.. HUMPHREYS
who owns the springs on this side, then be
gan casting around to find some one to take
an interest in and help develop his property
which he succeeded in doing. The gentle
men he has associated with him made the
BOwden Lithia company proposition, viz;
to extend their narrow gauge railroad to
Austell depot, and they would deed them
right Of way, and let everything stand as
it was at the Bowden Spring and be free to
all citizens as drinking fountain.
This..they refused to do, and threatened 10
fence the town out. 1t was then Mr. Hum
phries commenced to develop his spring, and
has done so, while the other side has built
an eight-foot fence between the two springs,
and by the powers vested in the Mayor and
Council of Salt Springs, they say we shall
not enter the grounds of the Bowden Lithia
Company, and neither shall we have access
either by rail or open street to HUMPHREYS
spring, and to carry out this wantOn injury
have adopted ordinances, etc. to try to inn
pede and stop each and every attempt 10
reach through his own property his own
spring In conformity to one Of their ordi-
nances, our street railroad stopped at the
corporate line, and the company has not at
tempted to go beyond.
Mr.. HUMPHREYS determined that the citi
zens and visitors should have easy access to
his springs, with no restrictions whatever
to-day hired about fifteen men and began
work opening a sixty-foOt street, with broad
sidewalks on either side, from the end of
the street car line to his springs, distance
of about 300 yards Soon after commencing
the work the marshal of Salt Springs, with
a posse of men, appeared on the scene and
arrested all hands and one or two outsiders,
and held them prisoners for more than halt
an hour; but upon the men refusing to go II
Salt Springs without a warrant, the mar
shall retired, only to return i'll an hour and
arrest all the men again. BY this time all
Austell was excitement and madness, and
had it not been for few
Of the calmer minds, no tell
ing the consequences, for the spring
is the towns pride and her glory, and every
man feels an interest in its success; but suf-
flee it to say that four times during the
day fifteen of our citizens have been arrest
ed, and one, Mr.. HUMPHREYS, at late hour
this evening was arrested on a town warrant
from the mayor of Salt Springs, was ar
rested by force in Cobb county and carried
to Salt Springs a distance of two and a
half miles, and placed under heavy bond
for his appearance in few days, to be tried
for building a railroad, etc, within the cor
pOrate limits of Salt Springs, when the town
marshal knew and had his attention called
to notice that the owners of the rail
road would not attempt to enter their cor
porate limits.
Hon A. S. Clay, member of the Legisla-
ture from Cobb county. who represents Mr.
HUMPHREYS, was present at the time, and
was told to consider himself under arrest.
Hon. J. S. James, of Douglas, State Sena-
tor, is counsel for the Salt Springs Company
The hearing will take place on Thursday,
and the case promises to be very interest
ing one.